Traction device



Aug. 14,` 1923. www3 A. STEWART TRACTION DEVICE Filed Dec. e. 1920 Fil @Ml/MW .Alexander ewar Y of the treads detached.

Patented Aug. 14, 1923.

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ALEXANDER STEWART, 0F IAUPACA, WISCONSIN.

TRACTION DEVICE.

Application filed December 6, 1920. Serial No. 428,769.

To all 'Lv/1.0m t may concern.' Y

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER STEWART, a citizen of Lhe United States, and resident of Waupaca, in the county of lVaupaca and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traction Devices;v and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip- Vtion thereof.

This invention relates to traction devices, and more especially to a device of this kind which may be readily applied to any of the vehicle wheels now in use.

lThe object of the invention is to provide a tread whichmay be manufactured at a Vlow cost, and at the saine time oneV which' will secure a positive and secure engagement with the ground.

,Y A more specific object of the invention is to provide a tread in which the force of the engagementV with the ground will varyl in proportion to the weight of the load. and in which the engaging elements will be projected toward the ground as they approach the same. Y

In describing-'my invention reference Will Vbe had to the accompanying drawings, in which: Y

Figure 1 is a 'fragmentary view in lside elevation of a vehicle wheel with my invention applied thereto, a portion of the tread being shown in` section.

Figure Q is a vertical cross sectional view through a portion of the wheel and tread,Y

and Y Figure 3 is a plan view of a portion of one Similar reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views.

The wheel 4 as shown, is equipped with a solid rubber tire 5. To the periphery of this tire is applied my improved tread, which comprises a "series of elements formed by the diverging sides 6 and 7, connected at the ends by the webs 8. Each element, therefore, is U-shaped, with the sides of the U divergthru cach of the side members adjacent the ends thereof. Each side member has an ad.- ditional hole therethru adjacent the web. A

pivot ypin 9 is provided for each elementV passing thru the holes thereof adjacent the web and also thru the holes in the ends of the side members of the next succeeding element.

Referring to Figure l, in which the wheel et is traveling in the direction indicated by the arrow a, the element l0, as shown, is engaging the ground at the point ll. The load supported by the wheel 4 bears on the pivot pinV 12 and tends to lower the pivot pin 13, the point l1 acting as a fulcrum. The force thus applied to the pivot pin I3, forces the element 16 downwardly about the pivot pin lli as a fulcrum, thus projecting the other end of the element 1G into engagement with the ground at l5. Y

I claim:

A chain tread adapted to be applied to a rubber tired wheel comprising a series of links, each of said links being formed from a strip of metal, said strip being bent to provide a pair of divergent and a transverse portion extending between said arms, said arms being` integrally connected with said transverse portion along` the entire width of said transverse portion, said arms having a pair of aligned openings intermediate of their lengths, said arms having a second pair of aligned openings adjacent their ends, and a transverse pivot member extending thru the aligned end openings of each link and the intermediate openings of an adjacent link.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwankee, in the county of lililwaukee and State of llisconsin.

ALEXANDER STEl/Vi/XRT. 

